Darwin/NT
 

Hi All

Just wondering if anyone could give an insight as to what the employment situation is like in Darwin and the NT at the moment.

What companies are employing/downsizing and their requirements: hours, endorsements and any other qualities needed????????????

Thanks in advance

CTA

Jump on the next Flying Kangaroo or Red Rocket and go up and have a look. Bet your balls (if you have then) that you wont get a job when you not there... If in facts your are there already just do the rounds of the GA area and hassle your way in... If that fails go to the Cav on Friday night and enjoy yourself....


Ang ;)

Where is the Cav? Is that a pub where lots of pilots hang out?

My advice, don't bother. Lots of high timers waiting for jobs.

Try some where new/different.

CTA, all depends on your experience. If you are a brand new CPL, what's been said is probably accurate. If you have an ATPL, CIR with several renewals, and a swag of twin time, then you can apply to some of the larger operators. (Even without being here) Of course as always, if you know someone, it goes a long way. Good luck old chap.

Mr Hat, what are high timers? 500hrs? 1000hrs? 2000hrs? 5000hrs? In fact, anyone want to hazzard a guess as to the average number of hours the darwin hopefuls have? Also...where is this cav? Do they serve jugs?

CJam

When I was in Darwin recently there was steady flood of pilot with various levels from bare CPL to Frozen ATPL/CPL with 1000 hrs. From what I have heard they are all still there. This means that the operators can and do up their requirements to suit demand...

I say if your a low time pilot hit the road with a mate and stop at every airport on the way. The Cav is on Cavengah St in the CBD. Good for a beer or two or three...

All the best with the hunt anyway....

Ang ;)

cjam sorry I wasn't more specific. By hightimers I meant people who's experience is really beyond an entry level job. Lets say 1500 hrs for example.

If I were starting out I'd try and shake as many hands as possible at the entry level SE piston places. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I wouldn't go to Darwin and stand in line waiting for the next job to come up. Remember, and I've said it before - there are millions of 172s in sheds around the country - its the newbies job to find them.

Good luck.

Thanks MH and Ang,

I'm not up there at the moment but am always interested to see what is going on there. Does Darwin seem to have hiring booms and then lulls or is it a constant trickle of the truly devoted getting through?
I also seem to have vague recollections of stumbling out of a place on Cavagnah street that had a long garden bar out the front, opposite side of the street to the irish place....could this be the Cav?

Cjam me tinks you drank to much in Darwin...

Sounds to me like your describing Rorkes on Mitchell Street???

The Cav is on Cavenagh Street the next one over.

New joints... Ducks Nuts... Whatch out for the Smirnoff Blue (50%) in the Vodka bar though...

But damn its getting hot... must drink cold Tooheys...

The next one over from Mitchell street is Smith street.

G'day CTA
Try Hardys,
They always like to see low time pilots in their office!! :)

Ahhh yes HA, Rorks rings a bell, and you may be right, the next thing I remember after that I was in East Timor. Didn't take long to dry out there! Reading this thread makes me hot, time for a VB.

Nick

a hint of sarcasism I detect. I went into Hardy's in May and they want 1000 hrs. Not so low when one has well below that mark. I heard that Hardy's put some full timers back to casual. Business must be tough

Ang ;)

Is turbine time any sort of a bonus when looking for work up there? I don't suppose it would be if you are trying to get in at entry level aye, do many of the operators that have single pistons also have twin turbines?

Thanks for all the replies so far, I am not currently living in the top end and was thinking of maybe making the move I have about the 900 mark so from the posts it sounds like I would be joining the que. It there a time of the year when it is best to arrive? And could anyone do an update on what companies have hired lately or what companies are downsizing or putting full-timers onto casual.

Tinpis scratches head and thinks..where the hells the Cav?...booooiing ! the old Don of course!
Christ that usda be a blood bath if you were such a :mad: to get booted from the old Stella Maris thats where you ended up,floor complete with blood encrusted saw-dust screeching wimmen the works.
Tinpis hasnt got a mobile phone so I cant sit at the new pissoirs on Mitchel St. I wouldnt be able to talk to the person next to me.
Darwin is turnin into a Flash Harry outfit allright.

But I love it
:ok:

Air Ngukurr has piston singles and a Bandit. NAC have piston singles, twins, and a turbine in the managers office (sorry Stefan, couldn't resist ;) )

Boomerang... ;) There's not even one in here.... Well maybe on the trusty ole screen...

Its nearly 8 years now I'm sure one is just around the corner;) ;) ;) .

How to get a job in Darwin.

(1) Be in Darwin.

(2) Have the minimum quals (CPL, roughly 300hrs, DG certificate. Twin IFR nice only for the fact that you have flown to the higher standard but not required, instructor rating=whats that? :) ) and keep them current.

(2) Have a personality.

(3) Be prepared to let others see who you really are and what you can do.

That means -- getting out on a Friday or Saturday and being prepared to meet the other drivers.

Yes, there are hundreds of guys and girls up here waiting for a chance. Always has been. All of them have the basic quals. The employers WILL hire people coz SOMEBODY has to fly the planes that are here. But they have their choice, and the resume is not where they make their decision. You need a mate on the inside who thinks you are worth fighting for..More like --

Scene: Kitchen sink in GA hangar, chief and a couple of pilots picking over which is the cleanest coffee cup in the sink...

"Fark its going to be busy next week"
"Will ABC have its new donk by then?"
"yep, better be, the DEET charters will be full on by then. Just hope Foxtrot doesn't sh!t itself"
"we need another driver"
"no we don't, you guys just need to learn how to work for a living"
"you can't stretch it with flight and duties, and I'm not missing my brothers wedding. Ive paid for the ticket"
"Fark! I forgot about that! Cant you leave Saturday morning?"
"no farking way, i told you about that and you said buy the ticket!"
"bluddy inconvenient if you ask me"
"I did and you said do it!! Come on, Bill Bloggs could do a couple of Saturday charters"
"is that skinny prat still up here?"
"he's doing a flight every week or so at the parachuting. Hes got 600 hrs and an instrument rating. He'd be okay"
"nah, hes a w@nker, wouldn't leave me alone at The Cup, nearly told him to fark off back to melbourne"
"you weren't such great company yourself with that toilet seat around your neck. thought you had used it between race 4 and 5 for what it was designed for and forgot to flush"
"you really want a job to come back to? keep talking like that!"
"look boss, you need somebody to cover. we are working our rings off, jane is on the qantas hold file, steve has been sniffing Fergals' ring over at Arafura for weeks, and you have no-one to cover the work if they go. You'll be crosshiring heaps!"
"Bill Bloggs is a prat, and I don't care if he flew the space shuttle. No."
"Well, what about Andre? He's just driven back from Kunnanurra, flown a 206, not as experienced but hasn't p!ssed you off?"
"Andre?"
"Andre, the tall guy"
"The one with the WB trayback?"
"Yeah, him. He knows his sh!t"
[pregnant pause while boss thinks]
"one job. one job only, ok. he can do the bathurst next wednesday, pretty hard to fark that one up. But [boss points finger] YOU TELL YOUR MATE not to fark it up, and make sure he knows his sh!t, cos if he stuffs around, you aren't going to Brissie on Saturday"

I must have heard a hundred conversations like that.

Message to the newbie -- you have to be known to be the subject of a conversation like that. Mix. Stick around. Pick up what you can.

Benefits? get a job and you get lots and lots of flying. Try roughly 4,500 hrs in 5 years in my case!

Dis-benefits? if it is easily discovered that you are a self important tosser, you have no chance :D Other disbenefit is that you will probably sustain liver damage in the process!:ok: